Lucas Kuipers (pictured) and Connor Frizzelle have been named to the Academic All-Conference USA team for the third straight year.

March 2, 2012

On the eve of their final game in Tudor Fieldhouse, Conference USA announced Friday that Rice University seniors Connor Frizzelle and Lucas Kuipers have been named to the league's academic all-conference team. It is the third straight year that both players have been selected to the team.

Joining Frizzelle and Kuipers on the 2012 team is Tulsa senior Steven Idlet, a two-time selection, as well as UCF senior A.J. Rompza and East Carolina junior Maurice Kemp.

Frizzelle, the 2011 Conference USA Scholar Athlete of the Year, was a repeat selection to the Capital One Academic All-District ® Men's Basketball Team earlier this year. Frizzelle carries a 3.64 grade point average in Kinesiology - Health Science. Last summer he was an administrative intern at Texas Woman's Hospital.s

On the court, the Red Oak native is averaging 9.6 points per game. Earlier this year he scored his 1,000th career point and enters Saturday's final regular season game against Houston with 1,199 career points. He is a career 84 percent free throw shooter and last year set the school single-season percentage record.

Frizzelle has started all 30 games this season and has played 125 contests during his four-year career, a Rice record.

Kuipers, the 2010 Conference USA Scholar Athlete of the Year for men's basketball, missed half of his freshman season with an injury but has played in 92 contests over the past three seasons and 108 during his career.

During his four-year playing career at Rice, the Rochester, Minn., native has averaged 7.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He is also a career 75 percent free throw shooter.